You've made the big decision: you're taking control of your fitness by joining a gym. But which gym should you join? The array is dazzling; the choices can be dizzying. Coed or women only? The new state-of-the-art facility or the friendly neighborhood Y?

"'Try before you buy' is one of the most important things when considering a gym," says fitness expert Jason Daniel Henderson, a certified personal trainer with six years experience in gyms in the United States and Australia. "(They) should be willing to at least give you a three-day pass. You want to be able to really get a feel for the fitness staff, aerobics classes, equipment, atmosphere, etc. If you end up hating your aerobics teacher, find out the members of the fitness staff are worthless, find out that the gym just happens to be busiest when you usually come, etc., you are not going to stick with it."

Christine Gest agrees. She belongs to not one but two gyms -- one to work with a personal trainer, the other for overall fitness. "Try to go to a gym you are interested in as a 'guest' especially at a peak hour," Gest says. "This gives you a good idea of how easy it is to actually use the equipment and what kind of people go there. Price shop at several different gyms. Do you need everything, or are you interested in a few select classes? Do you pay extra for cardio (vascular exercise) classes or are they included in the package? If after several months you aren't using the gym, can you quit without losing your money?"

Amy Radeski joined an all-women gym very close to her home. "I had belonged to coed gyms in the past and never felt really comfortable; always felt like a meat market to me," she says. "The gym met all my criteria: nice locker room, lots of equipment, lots of classes (step, spinning, yoga, etc.), Jacuzzi, steam room, free daycare. The only thing it doesn't have is a pool." Amy adds, "I don't feel the need to make sure my legs are shaved and my hair is done. Even though I'm not looking for a man, I still feel uncomfortable (around them) when I look like something the cat dragged in! At an all female gym I don't worry about it. I roll out of bed, put on my workout clothes and off I go."

Christine Crow sees it differently. "I don't like women's gyms," she says frankly. "It's the testosterone that flows in the gym that gets me motivated!" She feels that the men tend to push harder than most women, and sees them as "great inspirations." Christine belongs to a Y, and she likes that "It's not a 'vanity' gym," she says. "Sure there are always a few 'primpers and posers,' but in general, the people are there to get their workout in, socialize a little bit maybe, and go home. I've belonged to private gyms for many years, and this is the first time I joined the Y." She admits to preconceived (negative) notions about the Y, which turned out to be incorrect. "The machines are current, it's open and spacious, there are enough cardio machines that you don't have to wait long. The aerobics studio is large with wall to wall mirrors and a great sound system." And like Amy Radeski's all-women gym, Christine Crow's Y is very close to home.

Some days it's very hard to motivate yourself to go to the gym. Everyone has times when they "just don't feel like it." Choosing a gym you'll enjoy and that suits your needs makes it more likely that you'll give yourself the extra push to get there. And once you do get there, if that friendly trainer greets you by name; you don't have to wait for the AB crunch machine; and you can relax after your workout in the Jacuzzi; you'll be glad you chose wisely.

Want to see more?

• Is Joining A Gym Right For You?
• Exercise Your Way Through Pregnancy
• Exercising With Your Baby Indoors
• Fitting Exercise Into Your Busy Schedule